The present invention relates generally to hinge assemblies for hinging a door or lid to one side of an access opening such as a doorway or receptacle opening, and is particularly concerned with a hinge assembly for anchoring a lid to a waste receptacle or the like.
Waste receptacles or bins for disposal of items of trash or the like often have lids which are hinged to the container opening. However, removable plastic liners are commonly used in such containers for easy disposal of collected trash. The hinge must therefore be positioned so that it does not interfere with placement of a bag over the rim of the receptacle. Also, lids must sometimes be removably hinged to the receptacle both to allow for bag insertion and removal and also to allow both the waste receptacle and lid to be cleaned and sterilized effectively. This is particularly important in certain areas, such as hospitals, medical facilities, and catering facilities, where the maintenance of a clean and sterile environment is particularly important.
Removable hinge assemblies proposed in the past for waste receptacles have typically been complicated, difficult to remove and replace, and relatively expensive.